ESP FIAT FREEMONT 2014 1.G Owner's Guide
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Selection Of Coolant – Diesel Engine
Use only the manufacturer's recommended coolant
(antifreeze). Refer to “Fluids, Lubricants, and Genuine
Parts” in “Technical Specifications” for further informa-
tion.
•Do not use HOAT (Hybrid Organic Ad-
ditive Technology) products in the Diesel
Engine.
• Do not use OAT (Organic Additive Technology)
products containing 2-EH (2–ethyl hexanol).
• Do not use plain water alone or alcohol base
engine coolant (antifreeze) products. Do not use
additional rust inhibitors or antirust products, as
they may not be compatible with the radiator
engine coolant and may plug the radiator.
• This vehicle has not been designed for use with
Propylene Glycol based coolants. Use of Propyl-
ene Glycol based coolants is not recommended.
Adding Coolant – Gasoline Engine
Your vehicle has been built with an improved engine
coolant (antifreeze) that allows extended maintenance
intervals. This coolant (antifreeze) can be used up to
ten years or 240 000 km before replacement. To
prevent reducing this extended maintenance period, it
is important that you use the same coolant throughout
the life of your vehicle. Use only high purity water such as distilled or deion-
ized water when mixing the water/engine coolant
(antifreeze) solution. The use of lower quality water
will reduce the amount of corrosion protection in the
engine cooling system.
Please note that it is the owner's responsibility to
maintain the proper level of protection against freezing
according to the temperatures occurring in the area
where the vehicle is operated.
NOTE:
Mixing coolant types will decrease the life of
the engine coolant (antifreeze) and will require more
frequent coolant changes.
Adding Coolant – Diesel Engine
Your vehicle has been built with an improved engine
coolant (antifreeze) that allows extended maintenance
intervals. To prevent reducing this extended mainte-
nance period, it is important that you use the same
coolant throughout the life of your vehicle.
Please note that it is the owner's responsibility to
maintain the proper level of protection against freezing
according to the temperatures occurring in the area
where the vehicle is operated.
NOTE: Mixing coolant types will decrease the life of
the engine coolant (antifreeze) and will require more
frequent coolant changes.
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APPEARANCE CARE AND PROTECTION
FROM CORROSION
Protection Of Body And Paint From Corrosion
Vehicle body care requirements vary according to geo-
graphic locations and usage. Chemicals that make roads
passable in snow and ice and those that are sprayed on
trees and road surfaces during other seasons are highly
corrosive to the metal in your vehicle. Outside parking,
which exposes your vehicle to airborne contaminants,
road surfaces on which the vehicle is operated, ex-
treme hot or cold weather and other extreme condi-
tions will have an adverse effect on paint, metal trim,
and underbody protection.
The following maintenance recommendations will en-
able you to obtain maximum benefit from the corro-
sion resistance built into your vehicle.
What Causes Corrosion?
Corrosion is the result of deterioration or removal of
paint and protective coatings from your vehicle.
The most common causes are:
• Road salt, dirt and moisture accumulation.
• Stone and gravel impact.
• Insects, tree sap and tar.
• Salt in the air near seacoast localities.
• Atmospheric fallout/industrial pollutants.Washing
• Wash your vehicle regularly. Always wash your ve-
hicle in the shade using a mild car wash soap, and
rinse the panels completely with clear water.
• Use a high quality cleaner wax to protect your paint finish. Take care never to scratch the paint.
• Avoid using abrasive compounds and power buffing that may diminish the gloss or thin out the paint
finish.
Do not use abrasive or strong cleaning
materials such as steel wool or scouring
powder that will scratch metal and
painted surfaces.
Special Care
• If you drive on salted or dusty roads or if you drive near the ocean, hose off the undercarriage at least
once a month.
• It is important that the drain holes in the lower edges of the doors, rocker panels, and cargo area be kept
clear and open.
• If you detect any stone chips or scratches in the paint, touch them up immediately. The cost of such
repairs is considered the responsibility of the owner.
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• If your vehicle is damaged due to an accident orsimilar cause, which destroys the paint and protec-
tive coating, have your vehicle repaired as soon as
possible. The cost of such repairs is considered the
responsibility of the owner.
• If you carry special cargo such as chemicals, fertiliz- ers, de-icer salt, etc., be sure that such materials are
well packaged and sealed.
• If a lot of driving is done on gravel roads, consider mud or stone shields behind each wheel.
• Use Touch Up Paint or equivalent on scratches as soon as possible. Your authorized dealer has touch
up paint to match the color of your vehicle.
Wheel And Wheel Trim Care
All wheels and wheel trim, especially aluminum and
chrome-plated wheels should be cleaned regularly with
a mild soap and water to prevent corrosion. To remove
heavy soil and/or excessive brake dust, use a nonabra-
sive, non-acidic cleaner. Do not use scouring pads, steel
wool, a bristle brush, or metal polishes. Do not use
oven cleaner. Avoid automatic car washes that use
acidic solutions or harsh brushes that may damage the
wheels’ protective finish. Stain Repel Fabric Cleaning Procedure
(for versions/markets, where provided)
Stain Repel seats may be cleaned in the following
manner:
• Remove as much of the stain as possible by blotting
with a clean, dry towel.
• Blot any remaining stain with a clean, damp towel.
• For tough stains, apply a mild soap solution to a clean, damp cloth and remove the stain. Use a fresh,
damp towel to remove soap residue.
• For grease stains, apply a Multi-Purpose Cleaner or equivalent to a clean, damp cloth and remove the
stain. Use a fresh, damp towel to remove soap
residue.
• Do not use any harsh solvents or any other form of protectants on Stain Repel products.
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Interior Care
Instrument Panel Cover
The instrument panel cover has a low glare surface,
which minimizes reflections in the windshield. Do not
use protectants or other products, which may cause
undesirable reflections. Use soap and warm water to
restore the low glare surface.
Cleaning Interior Trim
Interior trim should be cleaned starting with a damp
cloth. Do not use harsh cleaners.
Cleaning Leather Upholstery
Your leather upholstery can be best preserved by
regular cleaning with a damp soft cloth. Small particles
of dirt can act as an abrasive and damage the leather
upholstery and should be removed promptly with a
damp cloth. Stubborn soils can be removed easily with
a soft cloth. Care should be taken to avoid soaking your
leather upholstery with any liquid. Please do not use
polishes, oils, cleaning fluids, solvents, detergents, or
ammonia-based cleaners to clean your leather uphol-
stery. Application of a leather conditioner is not re-
quired to maintain the original condition.WARNING!
Do not use volatile solvents for cleaning
purposes. Man
y are potentially flam-
mable, and if used in closed areas they may cause
respiratory harm.
Cleaning Headlights
Your vehicle has plastic headlights that are lighter and
less susceptible to stone breakage than glass headlights.
Plastic is not as scratch resistant as glass and therefore
different lens cleaning procedures must be followed.
To minimize the possibility of scratching the lenses and
reducing light output, avoid wiping with a dry cloth. To
remove road dirt, wash with a mild soap solution
followed by rinsing.
Do not use abrasive cleaning components, solvents,
steel wool or other aggressive material to clean the
lenses.
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VEHICLE STORAGE
If you will not be using your vehicle for more than
21 days you may want to take steps to preserve your
battery. You may:
• Disconnect the battery negative cable.
• Anytime you store your vehicle, or keep it out ofservice (i.e., vacation) for two weeks or more, run
the air conditioning system at idle for about five
minutes in the fresh air and high blower setting. This
will ensure adequate system lubrication to minimize
the possibility of compressor damage when the sys-
tem is started again.
TIRE ROTATION
RECOMMENDATIONS
Tires on the front and rear axles of vehicles operate at
different loads and perform different steering, driving,
and braking functions. For these reasons, they wear at
unequal rates.
These effects can be reduced by timely rotation of
tires. The benefits of rotation are especially worth-
while with aggressive tread designs such as those on all
season type tires. Rotation will increase tread life, help
to maintain mud, snow and wet traction levels, and
contribute to a smooth, quiet ride.
NOTE: Rotate tires at the first sign of irregular
wear.
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TIRES — GENERAL INFORMATION
Tire Pressure
Proper tire inflation pressure is essential to the safe and
satisfactory operation of your vehicle. Three primary
areas are affected by improper tire pressure:
Safety
WARNING!
• Improperly inflated tires are danger-
ous an d
can cause collisions.
• Under-inflation increases tire flexing and can
result in over-heating and tire failure.
• Over-inflation reduces a tire's ability to cush-
ion shock. Objects on the road and chuckholes
can cause damage that result in tire failure.
• Over-inflated or under-inflated tires can affect
vehicle handling and can fail suddenly, resulting
in loss of vehicle control.
• Unequal tire pressures can cause steering
problems.You could lose control of your vehicle.
• Unequal tire pressures from one side of the
vehicle to the other can cause the vehicle to drift
totherightorleft.
• Always drive with each tire inflated to the
recommended cold tire inflation pressure. Economy
Improper inflation pressures can cause uneven wear
patterns to develop across the tire tread. These abnor-
mal wear patterns will reduce tread life resulting in a
need for earlier tire replacement. Under-inflation also
increases tire rolling resistance resulting in higher fuel
consumption.
Ride Comfort And Vehicle Stability
Proper tire inflation contributes to a comfortable ride.
Over-inflation produces a jarring and uncomfortable
ride. Both under-inflation and over-inflation affect the
stability of the vehicle and can produce a feeling of
sluggish response or over responsiveness in the steer-
ing.
NOTE:
• Unequal tire pressures from side to side may cause
erratic and unpredictable steering response.
• Unequal tire pressure from side to side may cause the vehicle to drift left or right.
Tire Inflation Pressures
The proper cold tire inflation pressure is listed on the
driver's side B-Pillar or rear edge of the driver's side
door.
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At least once a month:
•
Check and adjust tire pressure with a good quality
pocket-type pressure gauge. Do not make a visual
judgement when determining proper inflation. Tires
may look properly inflated even when they are under-
inflated.
• Inspect tires for signs of tire wear or visible damage.
After inspecting or adjusting the tire
pressure, always reinstall the valve stem
cap. This will prevent moisture and dirt
from entering the valve stem, which could damage
the valve stem.
Inflation pressures specified on the placard are always
“cold tire inflation pressure”. Cold tire inflation pres-
sure is defined as the tire pressure after the vehicle has
not been driven for at least three hours, or driven less
than 1.6 km after a three hour period. The cold tire
inflation pressure must not exceed the maximum infla-
tion pressure molded into the tire sidewall.
Check tire pressures more often if subject to a wide
range of outdoor temperatures, as tire pressures vary
with temperature changes.
Tire pressures change by approximately 7 kPa per 7°C
of air temperature change. Keep this in mind when
checking tire pressure inside a garage, especially in the
winter. Example: If garage temperature = 20°C and the outside
temperature = 0°C then the cold tire inflation pressure
should be increased by 21 kPa, which equals 7 kPa for
every 7°C for this outside temperature condition.
Tire pressure may increase from 13 to 40 kPa during
operation. DO NOT reduce this normal pressure build
up or your tire pressure will be too low.
Tire Pressures For High Speed Operation
The manufacturer advocates driving at safe speeds and
within posted speed limits. Where speed limits or
conditions are such that the vehicle can be driven at
high speeds, maintaining correct tire inflation pressure
is very important. Increased tire pressure and reduced
vehicle loading may be required for high-speed vehicle
operation. Refer to your authorized tire dealer or
original equipment vehicle dealer for recommended
safe operating speeds, loading and cold tire inflation
pressures.
WARNING!
High speed driving with your vehicle un-
der maxim um
load is dangerous. The
added strain on your tires could cause them to
fail. You could have a serious collision. Do not
drive a vehicle loaded to the maximum capacity
at continuous speeds above 120 km/h.
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TIRE CHAINS (TRACTION DEVICES)
Use of traction devices require sufficient tire-to-body
clearance. Follow these recommendations to guard
against damage.
• Traction device must be of proper size for the tire, asrecommended by the traction device manufacturer.
• Install on Front Tires Only.
• Due to limited clearance, on a 225/65R17 102h tire, use reduced size snow chains or traction devices
with a maximum projection of 6 mm beyond the tire
profile.
WARNING!
Using tires of different size and type
(M+S, Sn o
w) between front and rear
axles can cause unpredictable handling.You could
lose control and have a collision.
To avoid damage to your vehicle or tires,
observe the following precautions:
•Because of restricted traction device
clearance between tires and other suspension
components, it is important that only traction
devices in good condition are used. Broken devices
can cause serious damage. Stop the vehicle imme-
diately if noise occurs that could indicate device
breakage. Remove the damaged parts of the de-
vice before further use.
• Install device as tightly as possible and then
retighten after driving about 0.8 km.
• Do not exceed 48 km/h.
• Drive cautiously and avoid severe turns and
large bumps, especially with a loaded vehicle.
• Do not drive for prolonged period on dry pave-
ment .
• Observe the traction device manufacturer ’s in-
structions on the method of installation, operat-
ing speed, and conditions for use. Always use the
suggested operating speed of the device manufac-
turer ’s if it is less than 48 km/h.
• Do not use traction devices on a compact spare
tire.
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FUEL REQUIREMENTS — GASOLINE
ENGINE
All engines are designed to meet all emissions regula-
tions and provide excellent fuel economy and perfor-
mance when using high quality unleaded gasoline with a
minimum Research Octane Number (RON) of 91.
Light spark knock at low engine speeds is not harmful
to your engine. However, continued heavy spark knock
at high speeds can cause damage and immediate service
is required. Poor quality gasoline can cause problems
such as hard starting, stalling, and hesitations. If you
experience these symptoms, try another brand of
gasoline before considering service for the vehicle.
Over 40 auto manufacturer's world wide have issued
and endorsed consistent gasoline specifications (the
Worldwide Fuel Charter, WWFC) which define fuel
properties necessary to deliver enhanced emissions,
performance, and durability for your vehicle. The
manufacturer recommends the use of gasoline that
meets the WWFC specifications if they are available.Methanol
(Methyl) is used in a variety of concentrations when
blended with unleaded gasoline. You may find fuels
containing 3% or more methanol along with other
alcohols called cosolvents. Problems that result from
using methanol/gasoline are not the responsibility of
the manufacturer. While MTBE is an oxygenate made
from Methanol, it does not have the negative effects of
Methanol.
Do not use gasolines containing Metha-
nol. Use of these blends may result in
starting and drivability problems and
may damage critical fuel system components.
Ethanol
The manufacturer recommends that your vehicle be
operated on fuel containing no more than 10% ethanol.
Purchasing your fuel from a reputable supplier may
reduce the risk of exceeding this 10% limit and/or of
receiving fuel with abnormal properties. It should also
be noted that an increase in fuel consumption should
be expected when using ethanol-blended fuels, due to
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the lower energy content of ethanol. Problems that
result from using methanol/gasoline or E-85 ethanol
blends are not the responsibility of the manufacturer.
While MTBE is an oxygenate made from Methanol, it
does not have the negative effects of Methanol.
Use of fuel with Ethanol content higher
than 10% may result in engine malfunc-
tion, starting and operating difficulties,
and materials degradation.These adverse effects
could result in permanent damage to your vehicle.
Clean Air Gasoline
Many gasolines are now being blended to contribute to
cleaner air, especially in those areas where air pollution
levels are high. These new blends provide a cleaner
burning fuel and some are referred to as “reformulated
gasoline.”
The manufacturer supports these efforts toward
cleaner air. You can help by using these blends as they
become available. MMT In Gasoline
MMT is a manganese containing metallic additive that is
blended into some gasoline to increase octane. Gaso-
line blended with MMT provides no performance ad-
vantage beyond gasoline of the same octane number
without MMT. Gasoline blended with MMT reduces
spark plug life and reduces emission system perfor-
mance in some vehicles. The manufacturer recom-
mends that gasoline without MMT be used in your
vehicle. The MMT content of gasoline may not be
indicated on the gasoline pump; therefore, you should
ask your gasoline retailer whether or not his/her gaso-
line contains MMT.
Materials Added To Fuel
Besides using unleaded gasoline with the proper octane
rating, gasolines that contain detergents, corrosion and
stability additives are recommended. Using gasolines
that have these additives will help improve fuel
economy, reduce emissions, and maintain vehicle per-
formance.
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